South Carolina Gamecocks live mascot has a new name — and no, it isn't Cock Commander

COLUMBIA — South Carolina's live rooster mascot officially has a new name — and no, it isn't Cock Commander.

Formerly known as Sir Big Spur, the live mascot will be called The General according to a release from the South Carolina athletic department. The name pay homage to Thomas Sumter, a Revolutionary War general whose nickname, the “Fighting Gamecock,” inspired the school's moniker.

“We know Gamecock fans are passionate about our traditions and seeing the live mascot at games and other athletics events is something they look forward to,” deputy athletics director Eric Nichols said in the release. “When we realized that we would have to change his name to keep that tradition alive, it seemed fitting to go back to where ‘Gamecocks’ got started.”

The live mascot's name change is the result of a dispute between the bird's past and present owners.

The previous owners and creators of the live mascot program, Mary Snelling and Ron Albertelli, clipped the live mascot's comb — the bright-red crest on top of its head, traditionally removed in fighting roosters. Clipping the comb can cause issues in the bird's circulatory system, so the current live mascot's owners, Beth and Van Clark, do not clip the comb. This caused a series of conflicts between the Clarks, Snelling and Albertelli and the university, as first reported by The Post and Courier.

The name Cock Commander went viral among college football fans last week after it was suggested in a poll run by The State.

The joke dates back to a caption published in the USC student paper, The Gamecock, in 2004. A page designer used a placeholder caption under a photo of Cocky, South Carolina's costumed mascot. The caption read, "I am the Cock Commander. All other cocks must bow before the Cock Commander. Yo soy el Cock Commander.' When the paper was sent to print, editors forgot to change the caption.

For now though, fans will have to settle for The General on the sidelines at Williams-Brice Stadium this fall. The rooster will make his debut Saturday at the season opener against Georgia State.

Contact Emily Adams at eaadams@gannett.com or on Twitter @eaadams6.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina Gamecocks' live mascot has a name — not Cock Commander